Has anyone ever had such a high workload that they've forgotten what a normal workload is like?

[BrainLife]

My workload is huge. I have a caseload. I have reports to write. Training to deliver. Meetings. Emails. Research. Etc. I've reached a point where it's actually impossible to do my job properly, to a high standard. I've actually forgotten what an appropriate and manageable workload is like and I'm struggling, significantly. Does anyone else have a hectic job but one they love? Did you have to leave eventually? Did you ever just carry on to burnout?

My brother is a GP. He is more stressed than me. He's been suicidal. It's awful. Solidarity.

Teacher. Yes. Unless I am crying and my head isnt exploding then workload isn’t normal. Trolls; get back in your box.

Lawyer - yes. I do 11 hours a day, at least 5 days a week

Yes banking.

My small team of 3 but colleague was off sick for operations for 3 months or so. No response to emails etc.
Tbh every role ended in a shit show where there were never enough staff or they decided to reduce staff but they couldnt understand that with say 5 staff with 20+ days holiday plus extra days you could buy theres generally not 5 staff.

That is a lot!

But you get the holidays and you finish at 3:30pm!!! Also, other people have jobs that are just as hard!

The inevitable isn’t it. I’m a teacher. I know the reality. Hand shake in solidarity!

I try to spend 15 minutes in the morning and then again late afternoon, doing a blitz. I already have rules in place to auto delete the ones telling me that the sandwich van is here, for an office location I don't visit, and X's weekly blog.

That one goes straight to deleted items because X likes to paint himself as Mr Woke and With It, when in reality he's a twat who left his wife to shack up with a former colleague. He had an affair with her at his last firm, and their shenanigans became industry gossip - although such is his lack of self-awareness he thinks we're all in blissful ignorance about it. Karma being what it is, it put the kibosh on his career ascendance. And his Ex - who is also in the industry and pops up at networking events periodically - is doing pretty well now.

Yes me!

I ended up at the GP thinking I was having a stroke. My BP was through the roof and I ended up taking a good few months off.

I worked to rule when I went back to work as clearly nothing was going to ever change resource wise. I heard an expression the other day "quietly quitting" which described it perfectly.

I managed about 18 months of that and asking them to make me redundant and they eventually did. Result!!

I start a new job in a few weeks. Hoping it's not out of the frying pan into the fire...

Yes, another teacher. It is literally impossible to complete all of the tasks in my job description. I gave thought about itemising everything expected of me and putting an extremely conservative number of minutes to each task to prove that there are not enough hours in a year to complete what is expected of us.

Yes...I've been teaching for just over 30 years. Regularly work 70+ hours a week in term time, and at least 30 hours a week during most of the 'holidays' (that we get SO MUCH shit about!!)

I've literally no idea what a 'normal' workload looks like, or what a real 'holiday week' should entail 🤷‍♀️

Teaching in further and higher education. Left three years ago and earn similar in unskilled jobs now. But the workload and stress is much less. Took me a while to get to grips with having a work-life balance, but I still haven’t recovered from the constant criticism.

Does anyone else have a hectic job but one they love? Did you have to leave eventually? Did you ever just carry on to burnout?

I had one. I was a vet for years and I was on call every other week at night (even though I did day shifts). I was incredibly burnt out, but I loved my job and thrived on helping animals.

TBH I’d still be there if it wasn’t for pet owners these days. I got so sick of watching people neglect their pets and not being able to do anything about it that it just made me miserable.

Being busy at work is great for me and I thrive when I am and I like making a difference, but it’s a lot harder to do when you’re constantly facing or working with people who are negligent/ incapable or incompetent.

Yep that's basically my life! I have a 12-14 hour a week part time job and run my own business. My business takes about 50 to 60 hours a week (sometimes more). It is full on and I will hopefully be able to drop the part time job soon when finances allow! My kids are older now so it isn't such an issue but it can be incredibly overwhelming. Easier with your own business - I love it I just wish it made a bit more money

Reading this thread makes me hate my job less.

It's busy ish, but generally fine. Some long days if I travel but WFH days are not that bad. I wouldn't schedule a meeting before 9 or after 4. I do 4 school drop off and 2 pick ups per week. I don't work evenings or weekends. I don't understand how you all manage housework , clubs , hobbies, kids emotional needs, SLEEP!

Yes NHS - hideous feeling of drowning every day but then the weird sense of belonging because you’re “all in it together” and not wanting to let patients down. I’ve recently moved jobs to private sector and it’s been really weird adjusting to the change of pace - you almost feel guilty because you’re finishing on time and being paid a liveable wage…

Yep! Corporate global role, team all based global too. Way too much work, not enough resources, non stop pipeline of work!
Working FT, trying to catch up evenings & weekends!
Currently assessing if I can afford to reduce my hours or not.
Also worry that I won't be productive in a different role that isn't as high pressure

Yes, another admission of financial services.

Teacher
I haven’t been able to do what’s required of me since becoming a mum 6 years ago

live in fear of being found out and sacked

I’m just about to have my first child and worked up until 38 weeks. It’s taken me a week to decompress and I still habitually check my emails.

Corporate global role with teams I work with in Asia and USA which means I wake up first thing to overnight emails and end my day well into the evening still responding.

I can’t imagine coming back to this level of work post-baby. But that’s for me in 9 months or so to worry about.

I work in FE at top of pay scale. Next level up is manager and is only 1k more.

Yes.

Those in private sector roles, are you at least paid well??

Teachers, I'm interested, what would actually happen if you didn't do the extra hours?
You don't have a lesson planned for a class, give them textbook work. You need to do reports, cancel clubs/workshops for a few weeks. You don't have time to mark, next lesson they peer mark. You need new resources/course work, just use last years.
Definitely not a job for perfectionists, but why do extra hours?? Just say no, that is not possible. Has anyone ever been fired for working hard and efficiently within there paid hours?!? No well, do not do extra then.
Curious to hear responses.
I'm a newly qualified teacher who can not understand why teachers don't say NO more often .

We don't..... my house is always only relatively clean/tidy, I work whilst my son goes to clubs, I have no hobbies, I've forgotten what emotional needs are (single for 6 years), and I sleep roughly 5-6 hours a night. My son is the only thing who isn't directly impacted as I don't let in encroach on our time together. I'm the only decent parent he has so I just can't let work ruin our relationship.

I work for the council. We have such a high workload, but our work is extremely important.

Fortunately they are forgiving of my finishing time of 3pm because I have school duties. Others in the team stay in the office longer.

Multiple colleagues of mine have had heart attacks recently (3 in 6 months), we're all stressed, exhausted, barely sleeping in between 12 hour shifts, we're all broken from the workload and poor management but for some reason we carry on.